HR musings for your entertainment and benefit

Employment Screening Trends

More employers are starting to use social media screening for applicants, combined with real-time employee monitoring. With more job openings than employees to fill positions, employers are beginning to consider applicants with criminal records.

Social Media

This year, more employers will use background check providers to search for candidates online and in their social media profiles. However, employers need to make sure these searches do not violate the Fair Credit Reporting Act or Equal Employment Opportunity Commission standards.

Additionally, many people post about problems with their jobs online, which can give employers insight into why applicants are really leaving their current positions. While many employers may think that they’re legally screening online for candidates, in many ways, it’s best to leave social media screening to background check companies to ensure there is no discrimination. If an employer makes a decision about an employee’s post that relates to race, color, religion, sex or national origin, that’s when legal problems abound. Companies that specialize in these types of checks won’t leak information about someone’s sexual orientation veteran status or race, which helps offer employers necessary protection should any discrimination claims arise.

Ongoing Monitoring

Continuous monitoring is also important and is rapidly becoming a new employer trend. Monitoring existing employees for illegal behavior is just as important after the hiring process. It can indicate illicit drug use, embezzlement or illegal activities. This also includes looking for court records, which is important for companies that rely on employees to drive for business. As long as new information notifies the employee that a full background check is triggered, it’s legal to have companies subscribe to services that provide ongoing monitoring.

Criminal Records

Many employers find a minimal difference in the quality between hiring applicants with and without criminal records. With the current labor shortage, many employers have turned to an underutilized source of labor: former inmates and ex-offenders, which compromise nearly 20 million Americans.

Criminal records, such as misdemeanors, or people that have served their time and are rehabilitated, can give people a second chance at a career or job. Industries that may consider hiring those with past criminal records include warehousing, transportation, construction, manufacturing, retail and call centers.

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